Eastern Florida Titans Men Open Soccer Season With 3-2 Overtime Victory

ABOVE VIDEO: The Eastern Florida State College men’s soccer team competes in the NJCAA and FCSAA. The program is located at the Titan Soccer Complex on the college’s Melbourne Campus in Brevard County, Florida.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida’s men’s soccer team was not to be denied on Saturday.

The Titans rallied from a 1-0 first-half deficit, shook off a game-tying goal with two minutes to play and knocked home a second penalty kick to win their season-opener 3-2 in overtime at Essex County College in Maryland.

The Titans scored twice within 19 minutes in the second half to take a 2-1 lead only to see Essex County knot it at 2-2 in the 88th minute.

That was just the beginning of the drama.

Titans freshman Nate Grant was taken down in the penalty area on a breakaway in the final seconds handing EFSC a penalty kick opportunity for the victory.

But freshman Juan Parda’s shot was saved by Essex Trevor Brookhart, who was stalwart all game long with 16 saves, sending things into overtime.

Essex began the extra period a man down due to the red card ejection issued for the take down on Grant’s breakaway and the Titans wasted no time taking advantage.